cornerstones of a strategy for peacebuilding and conflict … · 2016. 2. 24. · cornerstones of a...

Edelgard Bulmahn · Hans-Joachim Giessmann · Marius Müller-Hennig · Mirko Schadewald · Andreas Wittkowsky

C o r n e r s t o n e s o f A S t r At E G y f o r

P e a ce b u i l d in g a n d Conflict transformation

Comprehensive Sustainable in Solidarity

this paper was prepared by Edelgard Bulmahn, Hans - Joachim Giessmann, Marius Müller - Hennig, Mirko Schadewald and Andreas Wittkowsky. It is based on the sub-stantial input and feedback provided by the » Working Group on Civilian Crisis Prevention «, which was established by the friedrich - Ebert - Stiftung in 2011 and brings together experts on peace and security policy from academia, think tanks and actual practice. A word of thanks goes from the authors to all the members of the Working Group. the authors are particularly grateful to Julia Kühne, whose tireless efforts both in organising the meetings of the Working Group and in preparing the Cornerstones Paper were vital for the success of these endeavours.

Terminological information: Note that throughout this publication »peacebuilding« is used where the German original refers to »Friedensförderung«. The authors per-ceived this to be the most appropriate equivalent for the subject matter discussed. In this context »peacebuilding« is not limited to activities during the post-conflict phase but is used in a broader sense, including activities in all phases of the conflict cycle.

C o r n e r s t o n e s o f A S t r At E G y f o r

P e a ce b u i l d in g a n d Conflict transformation

Comprehensive Sustainable in Solidarity

April 2013

1. summary � 5

2. Background � 6

3. Milestones and challenges to date � 9

4. Cornerstones of a strategy for peacebuilding and conflict transformation � 11CornErStonE 1 Purpose � 11

CornErStonE 2 Values and principles � 11

CornErStonE 3 Interests � 12

CornErStonE 4 Aims and objectives � 12

CornErStonE 5 Comprehensive Approach � 13

CornErStonE 6 Active multilateralism � 13

CornErStonE 7 Capacities � 14

CornErStonE 8 Human resource development � 15

CornErStonE 9 Civil society � 15

5. Priorities and resources � 165.1 Multilateral institutions and actors: » a strategic lever « � 16

5.2 A Comprehensive Approach and the role of the federal foreign office � 17

5.3 Human resources and expertise development � 18

5.4 Consolidation and expansion of tools, instruments and institutions � 18

5.5 Strengthening of structures and embassies abroad � 19

5.6 Support for civil society � 19

5.7 Political and public support � 20

5.8 Provision of resources � 20

About the authors � 22

Contents

5

n n n n n n n n n Cornerstones of a strategy for PeaCebuilding & ConfliCt transformation

1. Summary

Purpose of the Cornerstones

the following Cornerstones set the framework for a

German Strategy for Peacebuilding and Conflict trans-

formation. this strategy should try to support peace-

building in a comprehensive and sustainable manner,

based on solidarity. As a strategic cross - cutting task,

peacebuilding and conflict transformation should be

embedded in particular in the areas of foreign, security

and development policy. to this end, the strategy should

lay the foundations, identify interests and spell out ob-

jectives and priorities for German action and ensure that

the required resources are made available.

rationale for German peacebuilding policy

German policy should be promoting peace. this mission

is based on the imperative of peace set out in the Ger-

man Constitution. the experience of the world wars and

many years of peace thereafter, the successes experi-

enced in cooperative Ostpolitik from the 1970s, integra-

tion in the European Union and peaceful reunification

are intrinsic elements of Germany’s identity as a nation

seeking and fostering lasting peace.

the need for a strategy

Peacebuilding and conflict transformation are long - term,

wide - ranging challenges. Approaching them requires a

clear, all - embracing orientation and courage to set out

priorities focusing on clearly specified peacebuilding

needs. Both are lacking in German policy.

Multilateral institutions – a strategic lever

German peacebuilding policy can be successful only

within the framework of relevant international institu-

tions in the long run. this primarily means the United

nations and the European Union, with special responsi-

bility for lasting peace and security in the region. to this

end, German policy must work together with Germany’s

partners in a proactive manner.

Effective structures and decision - making in Germany

A strategy for peacebuilding and conflict transforma-

tion must encompass all areas of policy, coordinating

them in a comprehensive manner. Effective coordination

through the federal foreign office requires effective in-

terfaces. targeted human resource policy plays a special

role. At the same time, it is necessary to expand institu-

tions for peacebuilding and conflict transformation and

strengthen them wherever needed.

responsibility on the ground

Peace is not an export item. Lasting peace can be se-

cured only if actors in conflicts are willing and able to

solve their problems in a nonviolent way. An effective

strategy for peacebuilding and conflict transformation

places this task centre - stage and focuses its support

for government and non - government actors in these

countries. German embassies and EU missions in con-

flict countries must be strengthened to meet this task,

but they also need sufficient scope for decision - mak-

ing in order to be able to react swiftly to crises in the

making.

Political responsibility and resources

the implementation of a comprehensive strategy for

peacebuilding and conflict transformation requires

strong political leadership and appropriate resources.

Both must be reflected in Germany’s next government

programme. one important, politically binding step

would be to earmark up to an additional € 500 million

each year for the promotion of peacebuilding and con-

flict transformation within the next legislative period.

6


2. Background

the wars in the Balkans in the 1990s as well as violent

conflicts in the Caucasus, the Middle East and Africa

have shown that conflicts in the direct vicinity of Ger-

many and the European Union can also escalate in a

violent manner, engulfing entire regions. the bloody dis-

integration of yugoslavia became the first test case for

European peace policy in the wake of the Cold War. the

international mission in Afghanistan, which Germany is

a part of, has been going on for over a decade, not only

revealing the limits of what external intervention can

achieve, but also underscoring the dire need for a critical

review of peace policy strategies to date.

Political nature of interventions

All activities aimed at peacebuilding and conflict trans-

formation constitute profound political interventions.

Schematic strategies for adopting template models lead

to a dead end over the long or short term, however.

Successful conflict transformation takes place along the

entire breadth of culture and society; it changes national

narratives, mutual perceptions and relations.

Multidimensional peace missions

the number of peace missions has grown throughout

the world since the end of the Cold War, while their man-

dates have become broader and more wide - ranging.

Peace missions now often entail comprehensive peace-

building activities, such as administrative, economic or

even security sector reforms. the civilian contribution to

multidimensional missions is becoming more and more

decisive in determining whether or not they are a last-

ing success. But civilian contributions are frequently not

sufficient: military components play an important role

in monitoring cease - fires, protecting the staff members

of the missions themselves and – increasingly – offering

protection for civilian populations against violent at-

tacks. It may be necessary in certain cases to apply mili-

tary force in good time in order to prevent or end violent

ethnic cleansing or even genocide. the experience of the

United nations has shown that military intervention that

comes too late ( such as in Bosnia and Herzegovina ) or

fails to take place at all ( such as in rwanda ) can lead to

massive civilian casualties.

Development, security and peace

neither peace nor development are possible without a

minimum level of security. the 2011 World Development

report stresses that peace, security and development

are inextricably intertwined and have to be linked in a

new manner. the concentration on government stability

and security alone will not suffice, as the task is first of

all to restore shattered trust and confidence between

elements of society and second, to establish properly

functioning, legitimate government institutions. these

objectives cannot be achieved without prioritising jus-

tice, security and welfare for all citizens ( in the sense of

human security ) – solidarity with weaker members of

society goes beyond purely altruistic motives.

Political will and resources

Despite our increased knowledge about conflicts, action

often comes too late or is too feeble because the political

will or resources are lacking for timely and – especially –

preventive action. on the other hand, the potential

available for peacebuilding and conflict transformation

is often not used as is necessary or possible. the most

dominant forms of action, as it were, are reactive and

seek merely to minimise damage, with sustained con-

flict prevention and transformation often playing only

a secondary role; willingness to engage in long - term

commitments is limited. there is also a dearth of strat-

egies, capabilities, tools and instruments that function

in practice, however. Even the best intentions may fail

to achieve success if the resources applied in crisis pre-

vention are not sufficient to meet the challenges. Simple

recipes and solutions are rarely to be found.

the protracted nature of conflicts

A large number of conflicts – such as those in the Mid-

dle East, Central Africa ( the Congo ), on the Horn of

Africa ( Somalia ), in the Sudan or the Caucasus – have

been going on for decades. In all these cases the in-

ternational community, and along with it the federal

republic of Germany, have been working over lengthy

periods to prevent escalation, put an end to armed

struggles, secure peace and transform conflict – mostly

with limited success. In view of the continued preva-

lence of conflicts and violence, critical questions need

7


to be posed about the elements, scope and form of

commitments to date and new strategies need to be

developed.

the changing nature of conflicts

the intensity of violent conflicts taking place today

is often lower than it used to be. However, their eco-

nomic, social and political causes have become more

tightly intertwined. Violent non - governmental actors

such as private armies or networks of organised crime

have come increasingly to affect conflict dynamics over

the past couple of years. the nature of waging war has

also changed: the difference between the front and the

hinterland has increasingly become blurred and military

campaigns are often being carried out over major dis-

tances. the recruitment of child soldiers continues. Small

arms are available in growing quantities, largely beyond

any controls, while the ability to distinguish between

civilians and combatants is often lost in the fog of war in

fragile states. It is above all the civilian population that

bears the brunt of the suffering caused by wars and con-

flicts, including in the form of sexualised violence.

International wars

Even though international wars in their classic form are

becoming increasingly unlikely or scarcely conceivable

because they would entail horrendous costs as a result

of international linkages and the interdependence of

modern societies, we must not lose sight of potential

violent international conflicts. regional arms races,

rivalries between major powers and disputes over ter-

ritory still characterise international relations in many

parts of the world. In addition to classic diplomacy

and confidence - building international dialogues, es-

pecially efforts such as disarmament, arms control

and non - proliferation are needed because political

intentions and strategies may still change. A potential

for military violence that does not pose any threat at

present may very quickly develop into a threat to world

peace in the wake of a change in regimes. We must

also keep an eye on new technological risks emerging

for arms control: unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs ), au-

tomated battlefield systems, electronic scrambling in

outer space and so on.

the responsibility to Protect

the introduction and application of the responsibility

to Protect ( rtoP ) is an important development in the

area of international law over the past few years. this

concept must be further elaborated, codified and im-

plemented in a manner legitimised by international law,

however. to this end an intensified dialogue needs to

take place, including with the concept’s sceptics. Abuse

must be resolutely countered. rtoP means that ( i )

every state bears fundamental responsibility towards

its own citizens in conformity with universally recog-

nised standards of international law and human rights;

( ii ) the international community bears responsibility to

encourage and foster an international order along the

lines of these standards by means of civilian ( preven-

tive and follow - up ) activities; and ( iii ) proportionate

military intervention may not only be allowed, but also

warranted under certain conditions – and only then –

as a last resort to protect populations.

Comprehensive challenges, comprehensive strategies

the complex nature of violent international conflicts

means new challenges for national and international

action; these challenges must be met with a compre-

hensive strategy and adequate resources, tools and

instruments. the following preconditions are necessary

in order to apply these effectively:

�better information and situational awareness through regular monitoring and observation of fragile

states and regions involved in or threatened by violent

conflicts;

�more reliable knowledge of causes, actors, peace-

building needs ( PBns ), the impact of our interventions

and incentives; analysis and identification of common

interests of parties to conflicts as a point of approach in

a conflict - resolution process;

�a critical understanding and agreement between

national and international actors, including with respect

to the political nature of interventions, and structures

that make this understanding possible;

8


�permanent cooperation and dialogue with local actors, without whose commitment and ownership

external contributions to peacebuilding and conflict

transformation cannot have any lasting effect;

�self - reflection, flexibility and willingness to adapt;

�perseverance and commitment to long - term obli-

gations.

9


3. Milestones and challenges to date

As a result of its history, Germany bears special responsi-

bility for peacebuilding and conflict transformation. the

German Constitution expressly lays down the obligation

to secure peace in its Preamble and Article 26. In its

capacity as a donor country with considerable resources

and an influential partner in international organisations,

Germany is rightly expected to assume strategic respon-

sibility for international peace policy as a European and

world political actor. A transparent, comprehensive,

resolute and sustainable strategy for peacebuilding and

conflict transformation would lend greater credence to

Germany’s efforts. Its development does not need to

start from scratch.

Multilateral milestones

the United nations ( Un ), the European Union ( EU ), the

organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe

( oSCE ) and along with these Germany have made con-

siderable efforts to expand multilateral peacekeeping

and conflict transformation over the past two decades.

the scale of Un peacekeeping missions has grown, and

they have become more robust and complex. the Un

has furthermore created new structures, including in the

areas of preventive diplomacy and peacebuilding. the

European Union has also set out to develop a compre-

hensive Common foreign and Security Policy and has

had its first experience with peacekeeping missions, es-

pecially with civilian mandates. the Un Security Council

took an important step in the direction of a gender -

sensitive peace policy as far back as the year 2000 with

resolution 1325.

German milestones

Germany has played a major role in both developments

while in addition sponsoring peacebuilding initiatives

of its own worldwide. the Social - Democratic - Green

coalition government adopted a comprehensive strate-

gy in 2000, and in 2004 the » Action Plan for Civilian

Crisis Prevention, Conflict resolution and Post - conflict

Peacebuilding «. this was aimed at underscoring the

importance of a German foreign policy that is to focus

primarily on peaceful means and resources. this and

other developments created important impetus to sup-

port the peacebuilding focus of German foreign policy.

In addition, a number of important institutions have

been established, such as the Civil Peace Service ( Ziviler

Friedensdienst ), the Centre for International Peace op-

erations ( Zentrum für Internationale Friedenseinsätze ),

the German foundation for Peace research ( Deutsche

Stiftung Friedensforschung ), the zivik programme

at the Institute for foreign relations ( Institut für Aus-

landsbeziehungen ), the Working Group for Peace and

Development friEnt ( Arbeitsgemeinschaft Frieden und

Entwicklung ) and others. the Interministerial Steering

Group for Civilian Crisis Prevention ( Ressortkreis Zivile

Krisenprävention ) with its civil society Advisory Board

has been established at the ministerial level. the Ger-

man Bundestag furthermore set up a sub - committee for

» Civilian Crisis Prevention and networked Security « in

2009. A national action plan for the implementation of

resolution 1325 was finally adopted at the end of 2012,

although it remains deficient in parts.

Deficits

It has nevertheless not been possible to date to develop

a more far - reaching strategy for peacebuilding and con-

flict transformation that is integrated in foreign policy.

too much attention has been devoted to administrative

and other issues related to specific ministerial domains

in government action; interests, objectives and concep-

tual challenges in connection with such a policy have not

been specified. As a result, the contribution of Germany

to peacebuilding and conflict transformation within the

framework of international efforts has often been less

effective, as well as less salient than would have been

possible, given the existing potential.

Purpose of the Strategy

the Strategy for Peacebuilding and Conflict transformation

proposed here is aimed at reinforcing the positive experi-

ence gained over the past few years and removing deficits.

It is intended to sharpen the peace - policy profile of Ger-

many at the international level and enhance the effective-

ness of the German commitment. the strategy seeks to

provide guidance and the foundation for an overall political

strategy that is capable of resolutely implementing the im-

perative set out in the Constitution for Germany » to pro-

mote world peace as an equal partner in a united Europe «.

10


Criteria for success

A strategy for peacebuilding and conflict transformation

will be successful if it

� follows clear principles;

�establishes clear and realistic aims and objectives;

�describes interests in a transparent manner;

� specifies priorities within this framework and is

endowed with adequate resources;

� is understood to be a general, cross - cutting task;

� is embedded in multilateral structures; and

�uses mutual dependencies and common interests as

important factors to encourage stability.

Its effectiveness is at the same time dependent on com-

mon interests and their coordination with allies and

partners. It must be focused on clear priorities, designed

to be sustainable and implemented in solidarity.

11


4. Cornerstones of a strategy for peacebuilding and

conflict transformation

the following cornerstones stake out the foundations,

objectives and key areas for action in a German Strategy

for Peacebuilding and Conflict transformation. It is in-

tended to provide a new impetus to strengthen, further

elaborate and strategically focus the German commit-

ment in this policy area.

CornErStonE 1 Purpose

By means of the strategy, peacebuilding and conflict

transformation are established as foundations for Ger-

man policy and in particular serve as a key element in

German foreign and security policy.

for German policy this means:

1 defining its principles, interests, objectives and prior-

ities and thus creating a reliable guiding framework for

national and international, government and civil society

actors;

2 ensuring the validity and binding nature of the strat-

egy for the entire German government and its imple-

menting organisations;

3 identifying strategic partners and conceptual interfaces

for international cooperation;

4 being transparent on conflicting objectives and exist-

ing political constraints and making this accessible to the

public debate;

5 ensuring an appropriate use of resources and the

enhancement of structures, tools and instruments.

CornErStonE 2 Values and principles

Germany's commitment to peacebuilding and conflict

transformation is based on the values and standards

of international law and the German Constitution. It

affirms the primacy of politics as well as national and

collective responsibility.


1 building on the principle of solidarity, while linking

social justice and ecological responsibility, in order to

create the preconditions for sustainable human develop-

ment;

2 embedding the concept of human security in national

and multilateral peacebuilding in conflict regions, in

this manner ensuring the protection of human rights,

citizens’ security, the development of legitimate gov-

ernment institutions, inclusion of socially disadvantaged

persons in solidarity and the development of mecha-

nisms for an accommodation of interests to achieve

sustainable conflict transformation;

3 strengthening the community of international law,

in particular by promoting peaceful dispute settlement,

constructive participation in the further development

of international law and the provision of resources and

qualified personnel;

4 strengthening and implementing international legal

norms and codes of conduct that could make a special

contribution to peacebuilding and conflict resolution;

5 strictly adhering to applicable national guidelines on

arms exports, applying restrictive practice in granting

export licenses and subjecting arms exports to parlia-

mentary controls to a greater extent than in the past;

6 actively supporting peacebuilding measures in » deal-

ing with the past «, developing trust and confidence,

reconciliation and transitional justice in the wake of

violent conflicts;

7 actively working for respect and recognition of hu-

man rights in difficult contexts;

8 regarding military action legitimised under interna-

tional law as the outermost collective option within the

framework of the responsibility to protect populations

in the event of serious violations of human rights, and

embedding this into a coherent civilian approach in any

case;

9 taking gender - specific perspectives into account and

designing measures in a gender - sensitive manner, espe-

cially in the policy field of peacebuilding.

12


CornErStonE 3 Interests

It is in Germany’s interest to assume active responsibil-

ity for the promotion of peace and security in order to

secure the foundations of peace, prosperity and free-

dom in Germany, Europe and throughout the world in

a sustainable manner based on solidarity.


1 assuming political responsibility for peacebuilding and

conflict transformation – including multilaterally – in line

with the international standing and capabilities of Ger-

many;

2 acting as a reliable and predictable international part-

ner in this respect;

3 countering threats to Germany, Europe and its allies

by means of initiatives to build trust and confidence and

sustained preventive action;

4 to further refine the concept of Common Security and

make it a strategic linchpin in efforts to resolve conflicts;

5 advocating sustainable use of natural resources as a

foundation for prosperity and taking the lead in imple-

menting exemplary good practice;

6 in its capacity as an export nation poor in natural re-

sources, dealing with dependencies and competition for

raw materials and sales markets in a peaceful, accommo-

dating manner;

7 helping to develop international rules that ensure

general access to trade routes, economic and com-

munication structures as the foundation for global

development in a peaceful manner;

8 strengthening the EU so that it can make an increas-

ing, independent contribution to peace and stability in

its direct geographic vicinity;

9 seeking stronger, more systematic inclusion and

involvement of women in peacebuilding activities, for

example, with respect to leadership functions in inter-

national peacekeeping missions, on negotiating teams

and commissions.

CornErStonE 4 Aims and objectives

German policy promotes peace in a comprehensive,

sustainable manner based on solidarity. the strategic

objective is to prevent potential violent conflicts and

transform existing ones into nonviolent forms for the

balancing of interests.


1 actively counteracting escalation of international con-

flicts and rivalries through preventive diplomacy;

2 strengthening the governments’ responsibility to pro-

tect their citizens while strictly adhering to international

law and generally recognised human rights, and work-

ing for its implementation and operationalisation;

3 making concrete contributions to the prevention, mit-

igation and transformation of violent conflicts in fragile

states;

4 promoting the elimination of the root causes of vio-

lent conflicts, such as poverty, underdevelopment and

poor governance – in particular along the lines of the

United nations' Millennium Goals;

5 constructively supporting the development and ac-

ceptance of peace strategies as sought by the actors

involved in conflicts and peace processes, and helping

these actors to implement them on their own responsi-

bility in order to ensure maximum local ownership;

6 supporting efforts to strengthen good governance

and the rule of law, along with democratic control of the

armed forces, the police and the intelligence services;

7 taking the initiative to promote disarmament and

arms - control efforts throughout the world in order to

preserve and maintain existing control regimes ( for ex-

ample, on non - proliferation, conventional armaments ),

while helping to pave the way for urgently needed new

treaties and agreements on small arms, outer space,

drones, tactical nuclear weapons and cyberspace.

13


CornErStonE 5 Comprehensive Approach

Germany is pursuing a Comprehensive Approach in

which coordinated, networked action in peacebuild-

ing and conflict transformation is the guiding principle

for the whole of government.


1 adopting a strategic approach in its actions, focusing

on the conflict context and making sure that the time

perspective is sufficiently long;

2 gearing its communication to mobilise public and po-

litical support, while at the same time practicing realistic

expectations management;

3 ensuring parliamentary involvement and supervision

by the German Bundestag and institutionally strength-

ening the policy field of peacebuilding and conflict

transformation in the Bundestag, as well by carrying on

and – if need be – enhancing the status of the respective

Sub - Commitee with more broadly definded, cross - cut-

ting tasks;

4 optimising coordination between different policy ar-

eas and further developing institutional arrangements

which make possible a comprehensive formulation and

implementation of German government policy, generally

under the auspices of the federal foreign office and

with the active support of the federal Chancellery;

5 defining the relationship between civilian and military

contributions and further elaborating this in a responsi-

ble manner, while taking advantage of the potential of

the Bundeswehr to contribute to peacebuilding, includ-

ing below the threshold of the use of force;

6 adapting interministerial structures to align with the

objectives set out in the strategy, including by means

of enhancing the political profile of the Interministerial

Steering Group by elevating it to the level of state sec-

retary, strengthening its human resources and organi-

sational structures at the working level and establish-

ing linkages to ministerial and interministerial working

groups, task forces and other coordination formats by

granting the Steering Group the right to take the initia-

tive and defining respective reporting obligations;

7 providing a new strategic thrust and enhancing the

status of the foreign service, in particular German em-

bassies in their capacities as platforms for a Comprehen-

sive Approach;

8 actively supporting and strengthening a comprehen-

sive, coordinated approach within international organisa-

tions, their special organisations, committees, institutions

and field missions.

CornErStonE 6 Active multilateralism

Germany is strengthening multilateral institutions and

programmes and coordinating its contribution in a

constructive manner, primarily within the framework

of the Un, EU, oSCE and nAto.


1 actively participating in the design and further devel-

opment of international strategies, concepts and initia-

tives and underpinning them by German contributions;

2 aligning the German contribution to international

strategies and coordinating these with strategic partners

and institutions;

3 developing and deepening specific bilateral and multi-

lateral partnerships for peacebuilding and conflict trans-

formation with old and new strategic partners, creating

and strengthening strategic impetus, while making pos-

sible an exchange of experiences and best practices;

4 actively participating in the refinement and further

development of the peacebuilding and conflict transfor-

mation capacities of regional and multilateral organisa-

tions in order to facilitate and improve their ability to

act in conformity with international law, in particular in

cases of serious violations of human rights in internal

violent conflicts;

5 using Germany's political weight within the EU more

effectively for peacebuilding and conflict transforma-

tion, using the EU level and its potential for synergies

in a constructive manner and in particular seeking to

coordinate the instruments of the European External Ac-

tion Service ( EEAS ) and the European Commission more

14


effectively, while focusing on common objectives and

coordinated strategies – including at EU Delegations in

conflict countries;

6 further developing and reforming the United nations

together with partners from the north and South, in-

cluding an expansion of the number of permanent mem-

bers of the Security Council by including influential and

resourceful emerging countries from the Global South,

while strengthening a common European approach;

7 strengthening the organisation for Security and

Co - operation in Europe ( oSCE ) as an important

pan - European security and cooperation forum togeth-

er with European partners, and actively supporting its

development as a community of security and peace;

8 fostering mechanisms and institutions for peaceful

settlements of conflicts, such as the International Court

of Justice or the International tribunal for the Law of the

Sea and at the same time strengthening international

prosecution and investigation of serious violations of

human rights by institutions, such as the International

Criminal tribunal or special tribunals;

9 supporting international peace operations politically,

conceptually, in terms of manpower and financially;

encouraging their further development by critically sup-

porting and evaluating them and ensuring during the

preparation phase that analyses, concepts, rules of

engagement and the assignment of resources to civil-

ian, police and military components are compatible with

each other;

10 putting the political missions of the United nations

on a solid financial basis and on a par with » classic «

peacekeeping missions;

11 reviving the key role of the United nations in global

disarmament and, together with its member states,

countering tendencies towards new arms races, includ-

ing in outer space and cyberspace ( including by reviving

the Geneva Conference on Disarmament );

12 working for a binding political concept for a preven-

tive, comprehensive security policy of nAto and, at the

same time, taking into account existing civilian and po-

litical instruments of the Un, oSCE and EU.

CornErStonE 7 Capacities

Germany promotes the further elaboration of an insti-

tutional framework, structures and instruments that

make possible coordinated, comprehensive strategic

action.


1 developing strategies and concepts for new challenges

for peace and security such as cyber war, the conse-

quences of climate change or coping with violent private

actors;

2 establishing and strengthening early - warning systems

for preventive peacebuilding;

3 expanding and strengthening capacities for conflict

and actor analysis;

4 expanding scholarly political advice while improving

the networking of existing institutions and organisa-

tions;

5 strengthening scholarly teaching and research in the

field of regional studies to serve as a foundation for

effective analyses of conflict and peacebuilding poten-

tials, and ensuring that teaching is both practical and

internationally aligned;

6 expanding political instruments such as support in ne-

gotiations, mediation, facilitation of dialogue, sanctions

and so on;

7 pursuing development cooperation in a manner that

is orientated towards peace and sensitive towards con-

flicts and above all further refining specific instruments

for conflict transformation in German and international

development cooperation programmes;

8 systematically supporting the training of qualified

experts within fragile and conflict affected states and

creating structures suited to this task in cooperation

with local partners;

9 encouraging and promoting specific civil society strat-

egies for conflict transformation;

15


10 developing and implementing monitoring and

evaluation mechanisms that allow prompt and regular

adjustments of resources deployed, as well as enhance-

ment of their efficacy.

CornErStonE 8 Human resource development

German human resource policy strengthens technical

skills in German, European and international organ-

isations, prepares German personnel in an optimum

manner for the challenges they face in multilateral

conflict management and establishes viable profes-

sional networks.


1 redoubling efforts to train, attract and provide per-

sonnel for conflict - management activities, including

within the framework of multilateral institutions and in

particular with respect to leadership positions;

2 designing government measures and instruments to

be open and permeable in order to be able to involve

external experts in a flexible manner;

3 strengthening the training of civilian experts in con-

flict management;

4 further developing and refining incentives and return-

ee programmes for civilian German experts who need

to be attracted for peace missions on a temporary basis,

and assigning greater value to international missions in

domestic career development;

5 instituting cross - departmental human resource de-

velopment, advanced training and assistance measures;

6 including methods for constructive conflict resolution

and management in general initial and further training

programmes for employees of the German federal gov-

ernment;

7 redoubling efforts to win over and train women to

assume positions in the field of peacebuilding while en-

abling them to take on leadership functions in this area.

CornErStonE 9 Civil society

Germany attaches key importance to civil society

commitment in the area of peacebuilding and conflict

transformation, while ensuring the required autonomy

for this commitment.


1 improving the legal, political and financial conditions

for a commitment by civil society, while fostering this

commitment in a predictable way over the long term

and rendering it transparent;

2 spelling out expectations and potentials regarding

the relationship between civil society and government

actors against the background of their respective skills

and capabilities, and reviewing the efficacy of govern-

ment and civil society action on a continuous basis;

3 including civil society experience, expertise, potential

for cooperation and coordination more in political deci-

sion - making processes;

4 taking seriously the critical dialogue between state

and civil society actors and redoubling efforts to im-

prove this dialogue in well - established formats, such as

the Working Group for Peace and Development friEnt

( Arbeitsgemeinschaft Frieden und Entwicklung );

5 ensuring in dialogue with governments of partner

countries that the required space is available for con-

structive, autonomous action by local civil society actors;

6 reviewing potential for cooperation and synergies of

government programmes with civil society organisations

and – wherever this is in the interests of both sides –

either developing joint programmes and concepts or

pursuing a cooperative » division of labour «, while en-

suring that the autonomy of civil society actors is not

jeopardised or compromised.

16


5. Priorities and resources

the next German government programme should con-

centrate on the following general strategic key issues

and make the required resources available.

5.1 Multilateral institutions and actors: » a strategic lever «

the German commitment shall make multilateral institu-

tions more effective in action. to this end it is necessary

to use Germany's own political clout strategically to foster

peacebuilding and conflict transformation while assuming

its responsibility for leadership in line with its own priorities.

the United nations: With regard to the United nations

it is essential to further strengthen operational struc-

tures for peacebuilding and conflict transformation. to

achieve this, political decision - making processes must

also be further refined and developed in dialogue with

partners from the Global South and the Global north,

above and beyond accustomed patterns.

the european Union: the EU is the key reference

framework for Germany. With its common foreign,

security and defence policy, as well as development,

trade and economic policy, members can pool their en-

ergies and powers in order to ensure Europe's ability to

act within its own region and beyond, while assuming a

more important role within the framework of the United

nations. Germany has a special responsibility here to use

its political influence to promote EU peacebuilding and

conflict transformation.

the organisation for security and Cooperation in europe: the oSCE in its capacity as negotiating and

consultation framework for pan - European cooperative

multilateral security is in the midst of crisis. the discus-

sion on new security structures, which was resumed

with the Corfu Process, and the objective of a securi-

ty community which was adopted by the participating

countries of the oSCE at the Astana Summit, offer an

opportunity to revive its earlier role and strengthen the

oSCE as a community of security and peace. Germany

and the EU must be actively involved in this.

the north Atlantic treaty organisation: In its ca-

pacity as a system of collective defence, nAto ensures

the security of Germany. It forms an important pre-

condition and guarantee for Germany's active commit-

ment to peace policy. new security - policy challenges

also require nAto to develop a strategy for preventive,

comprehensive security policy in consultation with the

instruments of the Un, oSCE and EU.

other multilateral organisations: these are an im-

portant foundation for cooperative peace policy and

provide an institutional framework for the realisation of

comprehensive approaches and strategies. Germany can

make better use of its membership of multinational or-

ganisations ( the Council of Europe, IMf, oECD, World

Bank and so on ) in order to strengthen their active role

in peacebuilding and conflict transformation. At the

same time, it is important to work in the EU and the

Un to deepen cooperation with other regional and sub-

regional organisations ( for example, the AU, ASEAn,

UnASUr, ECoWAS and SADC ) and support their com-

mitment to peace policy.

In practical terms, this means:

�A new personnel strategy should be devised by the

German federal government under the auspices of the

federal foreign office to provide a focus for orienta-

tion of personnel policy for international organisations,

above all with respect to leadership positions.

�the structures and instruments of the European Ex-

ternal Action Service ( EEAS ) and its interaction with

institutions of the European Commission and member

states warrant special attention. the primary objective

is to create synergies along the lines of a comprehensive

strategy and strengthen targeted European action.

�Multidimensional peace missions need to be provided

with appropriate financial and staff resources and be

systematically evaluated. reform processes along these

lines ( such as the Un’s » new Horizons Process « ) should

be actively and constructively supported.

�A reform of the financing and support mechanisms

for political missions of the Un must be pursued force-

fully over the medium term. In addition, measures tak-

17


en by the Department for Political Affairs ( DPA ) should

be strengthened by means of voluntary contributions;

priority should be given to flexible, robust financing of

political field missions and regional centres for preventive

diplomacy, while also considering further contributions

to preventive diplomacy.

�Additional investments should be made in the peace-

building architecture of the Un in the form of additional

voluntary contributions, aimed primarily at the Peace-

building fund, the Peacebuilding Support office and the

corresponding structures of the UnDP ( Bureau for Crisis

Prevention and recovery, BCPr ) to develop them further

in a systematic fashion.

�the peacebuilding contributions made by sectoral pro-

grammes of the Un development architecture, such as

UnICEf, the fAo and WfP, should be strengthened in a

targeted manner with additional voluntary contributions.

�the reform of the Security Council should be a key

concern of the next German Government with the

aim of expanding the permanent members to include

influential emerging powers in the Global South and

strengthening a common European approach.

An additional up to € 110 million should be invested in

measures aimed at strengthening multilateral institutions.

5.2 A Comprehensive Approach and the role of the federal foreign office

In spite of recognised progress, the German emphasis on

its particular » departmental principle « ( Ressortprinzip )

continues to be viewed as a significant impediment to a

coherent, comprehensive commitment to peacebuilding

and conflict transformation. All efforts to implement the

strategy for peacebuilding and conflict transformation

are under the auspices of the federal foreign office; it is

absolutely imperative that the federal Chancellery sup-

ports its work.


�Peacebuilding and conflict transformation must be

made a priority of the political leadership of the federal

foreign office once again.

�A Special Envoy of the federal government for peace-

building and conflict transformation must be appointed

at the federal foreign office with the rank of a state

secretary, and the existing Interministerial Steering

Group for » Civilian Crisis Prevention « must be further

developed into an Interministerial Steering Group for

» Peacebuilding and Conflict transformation «. Each

ministry involved should assign a representative at the

level of state secretary.

�A permanent team should be set up at the federal

foreign office to support the Interministerial Steer-

ing Group. this team should be made up of delegat-

ed team members from all the ministries involved. the

most important task of this team will be to prepare

systematic and cross - departmental country and conflict

analyses and to monitor developments and dynamics

also with recourse to external expertise. Based on this,

early warning, early action and strategic and conceptual

issues should be addressed in a proactive manner by

the group. the permanent team should also serve as a

contact point for civil society actors. Up to € 45 million

should be earmarked to support the establishment of

the team and strengthen the relevant departments in

the ministries involved.

�An interministerial budget pool for peacebuilding

and conflict transformation with a financial volume of

€ 100 million is to be established. Its design and de-

ployment is under the authority of the Interministerial

Steering Group and should be oriented towards experi-

ence gained with this instrument in the United Kingdom.

�Parliamentary support should be strengthened and

institutionalised, for example by continuing the

Sub - Commitee for Civilian Crisis Prevention and net-

worked Security as the Sub - Committee of Peacebuilding

and Conflict transformation in the German Bundestag.

� In particular when conflicts occur, the entire foreign

policy activities of Germany must be reviewed on a regu-

lar basis to determine where they could help to mitigate

conflicts or inadvertently escalate them over the short,

medium or long term and how they can be adapted to

avoid violent conflicts.

�A cross - departmental concept needs to be developed

for German participation in international peace opera-

tions. Such a concept needs to account for civilian as

18


well as military contributions. It also needs to specify

the preconditions for German participation and forms of

cooperation, as well as processes.

5.3 Human resources and expertise development

Skills and capabilities in the area of peacebuilding and

conflict management should be systematically estab-

lished and strengthened in ministries and other institu-

tions of relevance ( see Cornerstones 5, 7 and 8 ). Human

resource development at the federal foreign office and

other ministries should combine the advantages offered

by the principle of rotating generalists with specialised

profiles in the field of peacebuilding and conflict trans-

formation.


�A more focused profile in the area of human resource

development and establishment of skills and capabilities

should be sought at the federal foreign office in particular.

�A reasonable innovation would be the establishment

of a professional network for » peacebuilding and con-

flict transformation « bringing together the civil servants

and employees from all ministries who deal with frag-

ile states and countries affected by violent conflict.

the network of expertise should support its members

by providing a platform for knowledge and continuing

training through the various stages of their careers in

Germany and abroad in order to allow for a permanent

and sustainable exchange of experience and joint qualifi-

cation and training measures. An amount of € 10 million

should be apportioned for this.

�the federal republic of Germany should do more

than in the past to meet its international obligations and

live up to the expectations invested in it with respect to

the despatch of police officers for international peace-

keeping missions. A comprehensive agreement between

the federal government ( Bundesregierung ) and the fed-

eral states ( Bundesländer ) is needed in order to create

the legal, organisational and financial preconditions for

this. An additional amount of approximately € 20 million

should be earmarked by the federal government for such

a framework agreement.

�the federal government and the Länder must jointly

provide for additional incentives in order to persuade

specialists in the public service from the fields of the

judiciary, public administration, police and other areas to

take part in international peacekeeping missions abroad

for a limited period of time.

�A change needs to take place in the field of regional

studies, which have been systematically neglected in re-

cent decades, as a deeper understanding of specific con-

texts is absolutely essential for early warning and conflict

analysis. By the same token, there needs to be a strong-

er linkage with the field of practice in peacebuilding

and conflict transformation; well - founded analyses are

needed to point towards political options for action. An

additional € 80 million should be apportioned for this.

�Germany must also create tools, instruments and

structures encouraging systematic learning from the

field of practice ( lessons learnt ) and the rapid imple-

mentation of findings in updated plans and programmes

( lessons applied ).

5.4 Consolidation and expansion of tools, instruments and institutions

Existing tools, instruments and institutions that Germany

has established over the years in the area of peacebuild-

ing and conflict management need to be strengthened

conceptually and allocated additional financial and

human resources. only in this manner will it be possible

to make them more potent and effective and to assign

them a more active role within the framework of a multi -

ministerial strategy. In doing this, the task is to build on

previous experience and lessons learned for the creation

of future conceptual foundations.


�An evaluation concept is needed, upon the basis of

which an independent scholarly evaluation of structures

and institutions created pursuant to the present » Action

Plan for Civilian Crisis Prevention, Conflict resolution

and Post - conflict Peacebuilding « can take place. the

aim will be to gain knowledge for their further develop-

ment, while boosting political and societal acceptance.

19


�the foundation capital of the German foundation for

Peace research should be raised by € 10 million in order

to ensure that it can continue to promote peace and

conflict research in a comprehensive manner.

�the Center for International Peace Missions ( Zentrum

für Internationale Friedenseinsätze ) should be expanded

into a German centre of competence for peacebuilding

and conflict transformation so that it can tackle key tasks

in the provision and training of personnel, as well as con-

sulting and analysis more effectively. Additional financial

and human resources within the region of € 5 million are

needed to this end.

�Against the background of its evaluation, the Civil

Peace Service ( ZfD ) needs to be further developed and

expanded both in terms of the specially trained peace

workers deployed and the projects it carries out. An addi-

tional € 20 million should be earmarked for this.

5.5 Strengthening of structures and embassies abroad

In order to improve action in conflict regions and

peacebuilding support for local actors it is necessary to

strengthen structures in conflict countries, both with

respect to their scope for decision - making and the

available resources. this applies in particular to German

embassies, but also to their systematic networking with

other actors ( see Cornerstone 5 ). By the same token,

this not only involves operational contributions to peace-

building and conflict transformation, but also generating

reliable information for early warning and early action.

the central importance of local ownership for sustaina-

ble peacebuilding means that local partners and regional

organisations as well as the capacity development of

government and civil society partners need to be sup-

ported.


�the human resources of German missions abroad

should be systematically strengthened with specific

peacebuilding expertise. this relates to

›� embassies in (post-) conflict countries,

›� missions at international institutions ( the Un, EU,

oSCE, AU, ECoWAS, SADEC, IGAD, ASEAn, UnAS-

Ur ) and

›� embassies in regional and global powers ( P5 +

BrICS + n11 ).

�Such strengthening of German peacebuilding capaci-

ties should be achieved by taking the following steps:

›� internal adjustments at the federal foreign office

( human resources for embassies ),

›� internal adjustments at the federal Ministry for

Economic Cooperation ( staff at the embassies in

charge of development cooperation ),

› internal adjustments at the federal Ministry of

Defence ( defence attachés ),

› if need be, more resources should be provided for

additional diplomats and external experts if internal

restructuring and refocusing fails to provide for suffi-

cient resources for the focal points defined above.

�Creating human resource profiles in the field of peace-

building cannot be attained solely with existing capabili-

ties or perhaps by hiring qualified persons. It is therefore

necessary to preserve and further refine this profile, as

well as to carry out a strong advanced - training initiative

in the respective ministries. An additional € 30 million

should be earmarked for this.

�Moreover, flexible operational resources in the

amount of € 20 million should be set aside for diplo-

matic initiatives in conflict contexts to be made available

quickly and without red tape.

5.6 Support for civil society

A successful Strategy for Peacebuilding and Conflict

transformation requires civil society support, even if

this government strategy naturally focuses primarily on

government structures, actors, tools and instruments. It

should be developed in close cooperation with civil so-

ciety and independent experts. Especially in Germany,

there is a large number of actors who have been involved

in international peacebuilding activities for many years,

20


have an outstanding knowledge of local conditions and

can contribute substantial experience and offer consid-

erable cooperation and coordination potential.

At the same time, the autonomy of civil society commit-

ments needs to be taken into account.


�An additional € 50 million should be invested in the

promotion of civil society peacebuilding and conflict

transformation initiatives.

�this promotion should be designed in a way that al-

lows for a long - term, sustainable commitment, offering

organisations and initiatives planning security by virtue

of the resources available to them.

� In order to increase the transparency of government

grants and funding in the field of peacebuilding and

conflict transformation vis - à - vis civil society initiatives,

a funding database should be set up like those existing

in other areas for many years now.

� It should be ensured that the space needed for con-

structive autonomous action by local civil society actors is

secured in a dialogue with governments of partner coun-

tries.

5.7 Political and public support

In order to mobilise public and political support, a great-

er effort must be made to communicate the aims and

content of peacebuilding and conflict transformation

in society. A communications strategy along these lines

should also contribute to societal expectations towards

the German commitment which are commensurate with

the possibilities of German policy. to this end a pur-

poseful public relations initiative throughout Germany is

needed, which should be designed in cooperation with

the Länder.


� € 10 million should be earmarked for the implemen-

tation of a communications strategy and invested in

citizens’ dialogues, reporting on conflicts, specific

teaching material and supplementary information pro-

grammes for schoolchildren.

5.8 Provision of resources

Additional human and financial resources for peace-

building and conflict transformation are absolutely

essential in order to implement the general strategic

focuses and priorities described in the foregoing. to

make these resources available, it is necessary to under-

take structural changes, adjust priorities and in particular

to correct the existing imbalance between military and

civil resources in a sustainable way.

the following table on the additional resources required

constitutes a preliminary and political target which is ori-

ented towards the priorities developed above. It should

be reviewed on the basis of the strategy adopted and

replaced no later than 2017 by medium- and long - term

financial planning on the basis of a thorough analysis of

needs and the new strategy.

funding lines established to date should be continued

and expanded by up to € 500 million per year, as fol-

lows:

21


Field of action establishment of additional

annual resources up to 2017

1 Multilateral institutions

� Strengthen the Un

� Strengthen regional organisations

� International human resource development

€ 110 million

2 Comprehensive Approach

� Establish an interministerial budget pool for conflict prevention

� Strengthen human resources in the permanent team at the interministerial steer-

ing group and in the relevant departments of ministries involved

€ 145 million

�€ 100 million

�€ 45 million

3 Human resource and capability development

� Establish a professional network of expertise

� framework Agreement between the federal government / federal states on

international police missions

� Greater promotion of peace and conflict research, including regional studies

bearing relevance to conflict

€ 110 million

�€ 10 million

�€ 20 million

�€ 80 million

4 Consolidation of tools, instruments and institutions

� Increase in the founding capital of DSf

� Expansion of ZIf into a centre of competence for the promotion of peace

� Expansion of the Civil Peace Service

€ 25 million

�€ 10 million ( one off )

�€ 5 million

�€ 20 million

5 strengthen embassies and structures in conflict countries

� Professional training

� flexible budgets for diplomatic initiatives

€ 50 million

�€ 30 million

�€ 20 million

6 support of civil society in the partner countries

in the area of peacebuilding

€ 50 million

7 Political education and public relations work in Germany € 10 million

22


edelgard Bulmahn has been a member of the German Bundestag since 1987 and was

federal Minister of Education and research from 1998 to 2005. She has been a member

of the foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag and spokesperson of the SPD

Bundestag Parliamentary Group on the Sub-Committee for Civilian Crisis Prevention and

networked Security since 2009.

Prof Dr Dr Hans - Joachim Giessmann is the Managing Director of the Berghof foundation,

which supports processes of nonviolent conflict transformation throughout the world. He is a

member of the Advisory Board for Civilian Crisis Prevention at the federal foreign office and

the Advisory Board for Issues relating to terrorism at the World Economic forum.

Marius Müller - Hennig coordinates the work on Global Peace and Security Policy in the

Department for Global Policy and Development at the friedrich - Ebert - Stiftung within the

framework of the Globalisation Project.

Mirko schadewald studied modern and contemporary history, political science and sociol-

ogy in Berlin. He has been a research assistant with Edelgard Bulmahn, MdB, since october

2006.

Dr Andreas Wittkowsky is head of the BMZ - funded project » Peace and Security « and

coordinator of the Working Group on the Comprehensive Approach at the Center for Inter-

national Peace operations ( Zentrum für Internationale Friedenseinsätze ). Between 2001 and

2008 he served as a policy advisor, later head of unit and then deputy head of the EU pillar

for economic reconstruction and development in the Un Interim Administration Mission in

Kosovo ( UnMIK ).

About the Authors

Imprint

friedrich - Ebert - Stiftung | Global Policy and DevelopmentHiroshimastr. 28 | 10785 Berlin | Germany

responsible:Marius Müller - Hennig | Global Peace and Security PolicyMarius.Mueller - [email protected]

Phone: ++49-30-269-35-7476 | fax: ++49-30-269-35-9246www.fes.de/GPol

orders / contact:[email protected]

IsBn 978-3-86498-515-7the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the friedrich - Ebert - Stiftung. this publication is printed on paper from sustainable forestry.

the Working Group for Civilian Crisis Prevention is a forum of the friedrich - Ebert - Stiftung for exchange on current and structural issues related to crisis prevention and peacebuilding. the members of the Working Group come from various institutions of the German foreign policy, development and security policy community. Its members include among others: niels Annen, Edelgard Bulmahn, Dr Hans - Georg Ehrhart, Dr h.c. Gernot Erler, Dr Ute finckh - Krämer, Prof Dr Dr Hans - Joachim Giessmann, Dr Corinna Hauswedell, Dr Winrich Kühne, Dr Claudia Major, Marius Müller - Hennig, Manfred Öhm, thania Paffen-holz, Dr Matthias ries, tim rohardt, Mirko Schadewald, Peter Schumann and Dr Andreas Wittkowsky.

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